DIGITAL. TRENDS. FUTURE.

This week I had the honor to speak at Global Disruptive Innovation Summit (GDIS) at the Santa Clara Convention Center in the heart of Silicon Valley, USA. The blockchain and AI conference was hosted by Silicon Valley Business Institute (SVBI).

My keynote speech was titled “Mastering The Cryptoassets Revolution”. I was speaking about 4 personal stories on my journey to build LCX and gave an overview of the LCX blockchain ecosystem made for institutional and professional investors.

The blockchain conference GDIS aims to gather investors, entrepreneurs and researchers to discuss the burning questions of the technology industry, such as AI and Blockchain topics. The conference invited a selection of brilliant keynote speakers, scientists, and industrial leaders from China, Europe and Americas.

I was attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin China 2018 this week. We published a short review article about the WEF and “How to Manage Crypto Assets?” at medium.com/lcx

Furthermore we produced a short video to give an overview about what we do at LCX (Liechtenstein Cryptoassets Exchange).

When I bought my first bitcoins back in 2013, I did not fully understand the impact cryptocurrencies and blockchain will have. But since then I kept learning and exploring – discovering the key opportunities this new fundamental technology will bring to our world. I sat down with Don Tapscott, Adam Draper, Eyal Hertzog, Nic Cary and other leaders in the blockchain- and crypto-industry to fully understand investment opportunities, business models and market drivers.

Since August last year I had been developing this new and exciting company, which we incorporated earlier this year. My co-founder has started two crypto-exchanges in Asia and we are building our platform on the basis of this proven technology. We chose Liechtenstein as our home, as this country is defining the legal framework and empowering the global blockchain industry to a new degree. And we integrated a Liechtenstein Bank as a strategic founding shareholder and partner.

LCX is establishing a regulatory compliant exchange platform upon which security tokens and other crypto assets can be traded in a manner that complies with legal and regulatory requirements.

I was invited as a keynote speaker at the Oman Blockchain Symposium in Muscat. Here are a few take aways and thoughts from this government initiative.

We’ve all seen that #Cryptocurrencies have the ability to create alternative value transfer mechanisms – empower the Internet of Value. On top of that #blockchain technology itself can create new services and reduce the need for traditional, centralised, high-power processing platforms – empower efficiency gains, new -#eGovernment applications, #eVoting and #DigitalIdenty.

For a country and local government there are questions about pragmatic project opportunities such as:

– Where does Blockchain technology – open as well as private blockhains – helps a government to increase value and services for their citizen?
– What are the benefits to create a Crypto-Currency for the country? Is there a need to act now as Singapore, Russia, UK and Dubai have announced their local crypto assets?
– What are the needs for a thriving ecosystem and infrastructure? Does each country need its own #mining infrastructure, server environment and even a local crypto-currency exchange? Will a country enable, support or ban to transfer local currency #fiatmoney intro #cryptocurrencies?

So how will Blockchain benefit on a country level?

As of today we can say that there is no perfect solution or benchmark yet although there are lots of activities and projects. It’s uncharted territory although there are some pioneers. And it‘s a field for exploration, trial and error and startup thinking although it’s all about traditional value and industries.

Examples of Governments using Blockchain Technology

– On December 4, 2017, the Moscow Government has announced to use Blockchain Technology for their next election. This eVoting system has been released as an Open-Sources Blockchain Voting Tool. In an official statement the Government said: “The introduction of this technology will make the voting in the [Active Citizen initiative] even more open: it will be difficult to say that the administration incorrectly interprets the answers, changes the results of the voting when the citizens themselves can verify this information.”

– October 15, 2017, Russia announced to introduce the CryptoRubble, as a country wide regulated and controlled blockchain based cryptocurrency.

– In February 2017, China has announced that they are working on its own national cryptocurrency. Already in 2014 the People’s Bank of China had been working internally on concepts of a nationwide cryptocurrency for China.

Since almost two decades Monty is frequently traveling the major tech hubs like Silicon Valley, Switzerland’s CryptoValley, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Singapore or Beijing – to explore the underlying layer of growth and success. The keynote by Monty C. M. Metzger aims to give first-hand insights and strategies to lead the revolution.

What is blockchain technology and why is it revolutionizing the world?

“Blockchain is to the money, what email was to the letter” claims Monty Metzger. He explains why blockchain technology will have a tremendous impact on many industries, such as the financial industry, retail, commerce real-estate, cities, governments or energy. What role are decentralization and cryptocurrencies play? Why are token generation events (TGE) and initial coin offerings (ICOs) outperforming venture investments? What’s the impact of tokenized digital economies? How are leading corporations and countries using blockchain technologies already? Learn from the latest case-studies and insights from Monty’s learning journeys and exploration tours.

Blockchain Keynote Speaker

Please contact Angelique for booking requests.
Monty has been invited as opening keynote speaker on blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies to large blockchain conferences and private leadership events. In the past month he was speaking at RussiaCalling in Moscow and the Oman Blockchain Symposium in Muscat.

No other industry is facing the wave of digital disruption more than financial industry. While strict regulations and legacy systems limit banks’ agility, the new waves of financial technologies keep threatening status quo by reinventing the way banking services are created and delivered.

Last week Monty was invited by the CEO of one the largest Russian banks to speak at their annual conference. The event took place in Moscow Russia. As a futurist keynote speaker they asked him to talk about the impact of blockchain, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on the banking and financial industry.

Future of Banking

The keynote by Monty C. M. Metzger gave first-hand insights into the disruptive finance technology #fintech landscape by introducing the latest innovations from Silicon Valley and other innovation hubs. Blockchain, Bitcoin, Digital Banking, Payments, Lending, Smart Data Mobile Money and AI driven leadership. Monty outlined the Digital Leaders Formula, which enables every leader to adapt to the speed of technology disruption and make better decision today.

Keynote Speaker & Blockchain Expert

Contact for your event

Monty is a global speaker and invited to several conferences, board leadership workshops and events each month. His keynotes speeches and impulse talks provoke, excite and inspire. He has traveled to 44 countries to visit the most relevant innovation hubs globally and to discover the trends of tomorrow already today.
If you are planning an event please do not hesitate to contact Angelique at angelique (dot) weingarten (at) monty (dot) de

Keynote at the Annual Conference by OMV. OMV has group sales of EUR 19 bn and a workforce of around 22,500 employees. The focus of the leadership conference was “Future of Energy”. I was hired as a motivational but also informational Keynote Speaker. The focus of my talk was on the future of mobility and smart cities and its impact on the energy industry.

I was invited to hold the opening keynote speech at day two of the FIA Mobility Conference 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. The title of my talk was “finding the right path to innovation – how will the future of mobility, transportation and smart cities look like?”

Finding paths to innovation for the mobility industry, working with start-ups, execute innovation strategies and turning cities into smart cities is a key leadership challenge.
How can an organisation identify the most relevant and ef cient innovation strategies in order to grow its business?

Future trends and drivers impacting the mobility industry

I have been traveling the globe to discover the latest technology trends disrupting traditional industries. In my keynote in front directors of automobile clubs and key stakeholders of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) I focused on four key developments of the future of mobility and smart cities. Electrification – How do we prepare society, industries, the private sector and our cities for a future where electric cars will be ubiquitous? Automation – What’s the impact of autonomous cars on city planning, transportation, future of work and automobile clubs? Smart City OS – In a world of algorithms and industrial internet of things, every company is turning into a software company. What is needed now to turn cities into smart cities is to build the operating system of cities – this is what I call Smart City OS. Hyper Mobility – Disruptive technology innovation is opening new possibilities for transportation, mobility and travel. Examples are Hypersonic passenger planes, hyperloop trains or passenger drones aka. Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft (VTOLs).

Keynote Speaker Mobility

Video summary of the leadership conference including a short quote from my keynote speech.

Can we predict the future of cities and mobility?

There are ways to predict what evolutions will be coming in the next few years based on technological progress. But the elements surrounding these evolutions are more difficult to predict. How will consumers react to the reality of the digital age? How will your leaders embrace it? Will they make the right decisions? And last but not least, are you prepared for the right business models? Has your organisation transformed to be sustainable for a digital future?
The key question for an organisation is always how to discover the next big and define an industry rather than react to new realities. The earlier they learn what developments are coming from innovation hubs, the better they can prepare themselves.

Contact Monty – Futurist Keynote Speaker

Are you preparing a leadership conference and looking for a motivational keynote speaker who is both entertaining, inspirational and informational. Feel free to contact Angelique Weingarten with times, location and audience attending your event – she takes care about my speaking engagements and bookings.

Are you ready to survive and thrive in an age of AI, automation and algorithms? What impact do exponential technologies, algorithms and artificial intelligence, have on your industry and your business? How does your organization turn the potential threat of accelerating technological change into an opportunity to disrupt an industry?
While some executives and senior leaders are focused on meeting near-term business objectives and responding to the immediate demands of running a company, forward thinking companies don’t wait for the future to “just happen”. Smart leaders evaluate what impact the future may have, decide how to prepare, and actively plan for it. That’s why Keynote speaker Monty C. M. Metzger wants to take you on a journey to experience the Digital Future at your next event, workshop or conference.

Digital Leadership

We are experiencing a tipping point. What we’re finding now is that a lot of the big trends that people have been talking about in technology for the past years are actually translating into real results right now. Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, Smart Cities, Digital Cloud, Autonomous Driving, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Internet of Things, Drones, Robotics as well as Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Digital Transformation: How to Build a Culture of Change?

The greatest challenge for any leader is not just having technology as a department, but as a muscle. It’s not just understanding the latest technology development, but rather to anticipate the needs in our digital world. The secret to Digital Leadership is actually taking advantage of change, enabling digital transformation to achieve digital excellence.
For almost two decades, Monty C. M. Metzger has been traveling the globe visiting the world’s most influential tech hubs and speaking with their high- profile leaders. From the Bay Area to Beijing, I’ve witnessed, first hand, where high tech’s greatest talent, innovation, and venture capital converge. In the near-endless sea of starts ups and corporate headquarters located in the Silicon Valley, Beijing, Tel Aviv, Seoul, Tokyo, and more I’ve witnessed inventions at their nascent stages— soon-to-be-megatrends before they hit the mainstream.

While it’s provocative to think the real-world application of technology that revolutionizes happens overnight, experience has taught me that remarkable new products and services develop over time rather than magically rain down from the digital cloud.
When you look beyond the seductive headlines, the creation myths, and the conventional wisdom, you’ll find someone who had an idea, worked with a small group of talented people who executed a vision, and gained the loyalty of influential individuals who spread the invention — this entire process can take years. And a small number of high-impact regions provides the ideal conditions to incubate world-changing inventions.

That’s why I am often invited as an inspirational speaker or for a motional keynote speech. And that’s why my colleagues at Digital Leaders are taking CEOs on learning journeys where they experience one of these unique innovation hubs personally and visit some of the most disruptive and innovative companies, get hands on with cutting edge technologies and discuss the strategies you need to survive and thrive in the digital future.

Digital Leaders had been organizing another private CEO Tour to Silicon Vally and San Francisco. During the trip to the new campus – the Apple Park – I recorded a short drone video over the Apple Spaceship to show you the impressive building from a bird’s perspective.

Today the new Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park will be part of the history of the future of Apple Inc. as Tim Cook will reveal the latest iPhone model – the #iPhoneX #iPhone8.

Digital Leaders is hired by Fortune 500 companies for customized manager tours to the leading technology hubs like Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv Israel or Beijing China. Recently the team had been working with leading companies and their high-level managers from Canada, South Africa, Benelux or Japan. To learn more about the executive programs visit www.digitalleaders.co/tours

In the run-up to our next startup contest in Montreal I’d like to give you explain details of the startup initiative and the last event held in Berlin, Germany.

The DLV ‘FIA Smart Cities Startup‘ is an international entrepreneurship contest for the world’s most innovative and impactful technology companies.

The next opportunity to become a “FIA Smart Cities Startup” will be at Montreal, Canada. Our global start competition will be held at the VIP hospitality area of the Formula E Race. The contest is held four times a year on four different continents, North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Next pitch event will be held end of July 2017 in Montreal City.

Our team at Digital Leaders recently did another executive immersion program to Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China.

Custom Program for CxO’s to Asia’s technology centers

The participants of this custom program where high-level managers and mostly c-level executives from Europe. The managers got unique insights from leading innovators, technology companies and digital disruptors of Asia. The group met face-to-face with technology leaders in Beijing and Tokyo. Such an immersion program is a special experience from the moment the delegates arrive at the airport until they flight back to their hometown. During the week the participants visited some of the most innovative companies to explore the hottest technology trends and strategies for digital transformation.

In the run-up to the G20 Summit in Hamburg Germany, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy organised a G20 Multi Stakeholder Conference. The title of the leadership conference was “Digitalisation: Policies for a Digital Future” and it was held on 6 April 2017 in Duesseldorf, Germany. An interesting line-up of keynote speakers, though leaders and government officials where discussion the key drivers of digital transformation.

Particularly there had been three key areas of interest:
1. Shaping digitalisation at a global level – leveraging the potential for growth and employment
2. Digital networking for industrial value creation – developing international standards
3. Creating transparency – enhancing trust in the digital world

I had been invited to attend the G20 Digital Conference as a delegate and a special private side-event by the World Economic Forum. Here is a short video summary:

Today is a fantastic time for Entrepreneurs and their Startups. The entrepreneurial opportunities are enormous as digital is transforming every industry globally. While technology companies are expanding into unchartered territory and disrupting traditional industries we already know that the next 5 years will usher more change than the previous 25 years. I had been invited as a keynote speaker to a startup conference this week to answer a simple question: what’s the next big thing?

As a VC we always have to look into the future and evaluate the most promising areas, talk to passionate founders, screen business plans everyday and then come up with a decision if we also believe in this new business opportunity or not.

In my speech I was presenting a positive vision of the future vision based on the key Global Technology Trends we currently see in the market.

Seven Principles Of Digital Diffusion

As digital technologies and connectivity become a commodity – like breathing air – the lines between analog and digital are blurring. Digital is part of every facet and element of our business and personal life. Algorithms, artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous cars, voice control, virtual reality or mixed reality, nano-sensors and ubiquitous information access are now part of the DNA of our modern society. This is what I call the concept of Digital Diffusion. Today you can’t be digital. You just be.

2. Rather than adapting us to the technology, we will now experience how computers will fully adapt to our needs and ultimately become invisible. #VoiceControl #VR #AR #UbiquitousComputing

3. As computer performance will outpace human capabilities hundredfold, we will discover how quickly industries will be transformed through artificial intelligence. #AI #FinTech #HealthTech

4. Digital is not only breaking down the barriers for information access, but also the barriers of transactions – eliminating the middle men via Blockchain Technologies. #Blockchain

5. Sensors are everywhere, but we have just started the massive understand the impact when things are connecting creating the internet of things. #IIoT #Sensorconomy #IoT #Nanosensors

6. Urbanisation has transformed cities already today, but technology will unfold a new era of Smart Cities where mobility services will displace public transportation, self-driving cars will re-define the requirements for infrastructure and energy will be turned into efficient energy networks. #SmartCities #Mobility #SmartHomes

7. While the digital world does not know boundaries, our society will be questioning the role of citizenship, governments and space travel. #GlobalCitizen #MultiplanetarySpecies

Invite Monty for your Event

Contact us directly if you want to request a proposal for a keynote speech. Just email Angelique and send her details about your conference or event (date, audience, location etc.) and we will get back to you shortly.

Artificial Intelligence is the defining technology of the 21st century.

But what impact does AI have on your industry and your business?
This week I was invited as the opening keynote speaker of the Vision Track at a large Tech Conference. I was talking about the Digital Future 2030, but particularly focusing on why AI is re-defining Digital Leadership already today.

Three Waves of AI Innovation

As a Keynote Speaker I want to give my audience first hands insights into the current development and what it means for their business. Just recently I had the opportunity to be part of a c-level manager learning journey to China and Japan (organised by my colleagues at Digital Leaders) where I experienced the latest in AI research and AI products.

The development of AI will happen in three waves. The first wave of AI will be based on the data we already have available #BigData and it will impact industries where data is available in abundance – such as Financial Industry, Logistics, Media or IT. The second wave of AI will be driven by new data we are generating via Industrial Internet of Things IIoT and a variety of Sensornetworks. In this phase AI will disrupt industries like healthcare, pharma, food, advanced manufacturing, mobility, transport and even governments. The third wave of AI will have the biggest impact on our society, economy and policies. AI will empower robotics, smart cities infrastructure, self-driving autonomous cars, increasing energy efficiency hundredfold, create personalised medicine, curing cancer, enable cyber security and influencing every industry on our planet.

What’s your AI strategy?

Our world has entered the digital age – autonomous cars, society 5.0, humanoid robots, advanced manufacturing, AI Finance advisors outperforming the bankers, smart digital healthcare and industrial internet of things. While many leaders are struggling to keep up with the rapid development, I see a world of new opportunities where we can thrive and build a sustainable future based on the true potential of human intelligence and capabilities.

In this inspiring keynote, Monty Metzger, tech-futurist and investor will present a future vision driven by exponential technologies, algorithms and artificial intelligence, and its impact on society, cities, energy, mobility and your industry.

The audiences will gain insights into the companies, technologies and global forces shaping the age of artificial intelligence, machine learning, as well as a set of tailored next actions on how to redesign their organisations, reimagine their leadership roles and reinvent the way they make decisions.

As a Startup you will get 100.000 Euro in funding at fair and transparent terms, access to the network of the FIA, DLV and our partners, PR coverage …. and a special invitation to the Formula E Race in Berlin.

Highlights Smart Cities Mexico City

Smart Cities and its impact on business, society and policies

As our society is getting used to enjoy the benefits of the sharing economy, the basic concept of transportation and mobility is changing. Leaders and decision makers at businesses and governments are raising the question: How will our cities transforms into smart cities? How will the future of mobility look like? How to prepare your institution or company for the future of transportation?

Keynote Speaker Monty Metzger is explaining the key technology trends and economic dynamics that change transportation from the ground up. Based on international trend research and analysis of investment flows Monty Metzger is defining the key drivers of change and how it is impacting your industry.

The Future of Mobility

„We have never seen so many new startups in the automotive industry like today“ says Monty Metzger. Autonomous driving, electric cars and smart infrastructure are some of the most important areas Technology Entrepreneurs and Venture Investors are focusing.
The change we see in the transportation industry today is driven by new technology startups as well as traditional market leaders. Companies like Tesla Motors, Next EV, Faraday Future or Rimac are challenging the current market leaders with new innovative electric cars. Companies like UBER, Lyft or Didi are building platform services transforming how the society is using transportation and disrupting the industry. At the same time the market leaders in the automotive industry, like GM, Volkswagen, BMW Group or Toyota, are increasing the budgets for innovative R&D, innovation labs, investments and M&A.
Monty’s keynote speeches on the future of mobility are designed to educate and inspire decision makers who do business in the rapidly transforming new mobility industry.

We have reached a tipping point – Technology development is impacting the energy, mobility and infrastructure industry. The next 5 years will usher more change than the previous 50.

The Lines Separating The Transportation And Technology Industries Continue To Blur

Traditional industries with its current market leaders are pressured to either innovate or accept decline of their business. Adding technology innovation to traditional industries means big changes – it means change to customer experience, products, as well as shifting entire business models. Monty Metzger understands the perspectives of corporate leaders as well as startups, pointing out the four major forces that will transform automotive: connected, sharing, autonomous and alternative fuels. But with this technological development also come new responsibility and new fields of business operations. Privacy, Data protection, cyber security with adoption of connected cars and its implications on car ownership, public transportation, city infrastructure and public policies.

Contact Monty for a Keynote Speech

Smart Cities Keynote Speaker

– About Monty C. M. Metzger
Monty Metzger is leading the FIA Smart Cities Startup Initiative in teamwork with the FIA, Formula E, Michelin, ENEL and Julius Baer. He is Partner at Digital Leaders Ventures, a Venture Capital Fund investing in technology companies with a strong focus on #SmartCities, Road Safety, Autonomous Driving and Future of Mobility. He was founder and CEO of a leading future research company with offices in New York, Munich, Beijing and Tokyo. As a thought leader and futurist he has extensive experience in reflecting on the mega trends of today and interacting with top leaders of business, government, and nonprofit organizations to encourage digital leadership and digital excellence.

At DLV.vc you can find our more about the Global Startup Contest – the FIA Smart Cities Startup – and details about benefits, timing and jury members.

To give you more insights about what was happening at the Press Conference in Geneva and to explain the startup competition, I posted a short #Vlog on YouTube.

Who are the Most successful Smart Cities Startups?

At the DLV startup competition we are looking for companies who are building the smart cities of the future. There are no regional limitation to be part of the challenge, but we are looking for companies who have got previous funding or graduated from an accelerator program. We are open for tech startups in the wide field of topics related to smart cities and road safety: autonomous driving, industrial internet of things, smart infrastructure, machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data as well as digital platforms or services.

The winning company will be officially named as the FIA Smart Cities Startup 2017. The Global Startup Contest is hosted in teamwork with the international Formula E racing series. The startup contest will be held right before the Formula E race weekend and located within the VIP areas of the Formula E hospitality areas, the eMotions CLub.

Why it’s exciting to be part of this startup competition?

We’d like to make change happen – turning our cities into smart cities and increasing road safety dramatically. Besides an investment of 100,000 USD at each pitch event, startups get access to our network of partners and experts. We are working with the MIT Enterprise Forum at MIT University Boston and local startup accelerators to pre-select the most promising companies.

On the pitch day, the top 10 founders will present their company to our jury. The DLV startup jury consist of representatives from DLV,FIA, ENEL, Julius Baer, Michelin and the World Economic Forum. Then we will select the top three finalist who will present to a large audience at the FIA Smart Cities Forum on Friday – right before the Formula E Raceday. And finally we will announce the official FIA Smart Cities Startup.

How will the future of digital look like? What are the key emerging technology trends every leader needs to understand?
Exactly in January 14 years ago, the Line Mode Browser, was introduced, enabling everybody to explore the World Wide Web. Since then digital has transformed our society and business from the ground up. The next 14 years will usher more change than the previous 14 years. Here is a video showcasing my technology predictions until 2030.